Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-06-11
Sailing A MIME.
How Fair Sirens Tried to cum m Ex.
perts

pert.
st. Louis Globe Democrat.
Some ten years ago friend OF mine, who had
oeen engaged for years in mining In California,
Nevada and New Mexico, and who Is about the
best expert ever knew, was employed 70 examine
mine which had been favorably reported upon
by three other experts He took his own assayeF
and went to the mine 1t did not greatly please him
at the first glance, as the rock looked dead, and
there were no indications OF any rich ore.
He went through the NINE taking samples from
ali parts, which he turned over to his assayer,
fully expecting that he would find very little min
eral But to his surprise the ore run about $500
Ton. He went through the mine again. exercis-
Ing particular care In the selection OF his samples
Deiore- He was almost convinced that the mine
was genuine, as he did not see the least trace OF
He went to the owners and told them the result
OF his examination, but said that he should make
no report unless they would turn the mine over 70
him for 4S hours and let him do what he pleased
with It. After some hesitation they consented,
and the next morning he took gang OF men down
Ing away the exposed rock, and taking his samples
from the newly exposed wall. The assays made
from these did not yield trace OF mineral and he
saw that the mine must have been salted, but how
ne could not imagine
AT last he went to the owners and asked them
point blank how they had done 1t. They, seeing
that there was no longer the slightest chance OF
selling the mine, finally told him. They had
Taped together quantity OF the s1it t 1, Tna9
oil mines ana mixed gold dust with IL until the
composition would assay about $4,000 ton.
They then put it into shOtgunS and fired 1t against
the walls OF the mine The force Of the explosion
Scattered II over the entire wall and caused the
tale to penetrate every crevce so that gold would
be found In sample taken from any part OF the
mine.
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.
On another occasion 1 myself came near being
victimized. / went to examine q mine in New
A.axfnn a,11
looked wel and thought at first that there could
be little doubt OF It's value. But with the conSer
vatism which comes from long experience, deter:
told the owner that wanted to sink the shaft ten
feet deeper, and take my samples from the ore
should find there. AS was going home that night
at an usually late hour CHANGED TO pass the mouth
OF the shaft, and was surprised to hear sounds pro-
ceeding from IL, as If some one was churning at
the bottom. Determined TO discover the cause OF
these unusual noises I crept to the platform and
looked down the shaft.
saw two men at the bottom, one drilling hole
and the other working churndasher. Soon the
drilling ceased. The man with the churn poured
some liquid tntothe hole and pounded upon IL with
something like a churndasher. could hear their
conversation from where / lay, and soon found
that what they were doing was of great personal
interest to me. One said:
Shaft"
Nonsense, said his companion; mo one ever
comes here at this hour"
WELL" said the first, che can sink his ten feet
after we get through, and twenty more If he wants
TO-"
had heard enough, and quietly went home
not care to sink his shaft any deeper, as had de-
cided not to recommend the mine He became
very Indignant and talked SO offensive that at last
"My friend, you had better keep quiet. was at
your mine at O'Clock this morning, and saw what
was going on"
His jaw dropped, he looked at me in surprise,
out saw that the game was up, and left without a
word The trick he had tried to play upon me Is
n
is made by some chemical process which Will pen
citrate the hardest rock to depth OF eight or ten
mineral at all.
FAILURE OF FOUR SIRENS.
The last attempt at sailing o; which have any
knowledge was tried upon myself. I was sent
to look at a mine which had twice been favorably
reported upon. The owner received me most hos
house, saying that his four daughters were very
lonely and would be glad to see me- declined
his offer, but agreed to breakfast with his family
the next morning before examining the mine.
After breakfast the young ladies insisted on ac-
companying me and showing me through the
mine.
They were very polite, one of them going in
front of me and directing me where to take my
samples from. l noticed that she had a way OF
against them just before took a sample I
thought this proceeding rather unusual, and
watched her closely. In an unguarded moment
she caught her 0yersk1rt upon projection and
pulled it back, allowing me to see two or there
little bags which were hidden beneath 1t. said
nothing, but soon assembled the shaft, saying that
would complete my examination the next MORN
Ing. When returned they again offered to accom-
pany me, but declined, and they withdrew their
request on condition that would let them bring
my lamp TO the mine, to which agreed.
went through the mine, carefully sampled It,
and got to the top Of the shaft before the ladies
made their appearance. then filed sack with
ore from the dump, and sat down to walt for them
They soon made their appearance, and we all took
lunch together. One OF them asked me what had
In that sack said that 1t contained my samples
soon noticed that two OF the young girls man
other was busily engaged looking for ring which
she said she had dropped near IL. After lunch
went TO their home with them, taking the sack
with me, which left on the porch. Just before my
wagon arrived to take me to town stepped OF
ana got my samples. just as was about TO drive
OH their father called out that had forgotten my
Sack. i replied that did not want those speci-
mems, as had taken others early In the day. A
look OF blank surprise came over his face but
drove on before he had time TO speak. That night
he came TO the hotel and confessed the Whole
scheme. The girls had met were not his daugh-
tiers, but had been hired by him to salt the mine
right under the noses OF the experts. He had pro-
ytded them with porous bags filled with an adhe-
sve compound OF gold, which they concealed In
their skirts and rubbed against the wall tust be-
lore a sample was taken. They had Saited my
supposed samples, and IL was my refusal to take
these to town with me which showed the Old gen.
tleman that had penetrated his scheme.